Why are Passion Plays so important?
The Easter story lies at the heart of the Christian faith and has profoundly shaped Britain’s culture, art, music, literature and theatre. Unfortunately, the Easter story is increasingly unfamiliar to many people and is the subject of much misunderstanding in a multifaith society.
Bringing the story to life
Passion Plays allow people, events and teaching to be experienced and present the core of the Christian faith as it is embodied rather than elucidated in doctrines or creeds. Workshopping and rehearsing give new and unique vantage points and embodied explorations enable an experience free of centuries of religious tradition. Immersive performances are a physical journey around familiar spaces in the local community and a dramatic experience of the Easter story.
Dramatic experiences can prompt authentic encounters with the people and events portrayed in a way that bypasses layers of religious and cultural traditions across different faiths.
Centuries of religious traditions and conflict can often obscure the core heart of the faith, the message, the people. The immersive embodied experience gives a unique focus for re-examining the Easter story as well as religious traditions and misunderstandings that accumulate around other faiths. Our aim is to provide a space where, as much as is possible, the centuries of religious traditions that have built up in all religions are removed and an embodied experience of the Easter story can raise new questions or provide new answers.
Heritage
In the wake of York and Chester Mystery Plays, Passion Plays ensure the continued protection of heritage. They are a more accessible and shortened version – rather than full Mystery Play cycle from Creation to Last Judgement, they focus on the main narrative that explains the Christian faith, namely, Christmas and Easter. The story is dramatized rather than read in the bible or heard in church sermons. The events and characters are brought to life through live performance and outdoor theatre. Cumulatively, PP draw the largest outdoor audiences of free live theatre across the UK.
Faith
Relevance of the story is shown when it is dramatized and freed from centuries of religious tradition. It can speak to individuals and communities afresh – people of all faiths or none can experience the story for themselves.
Being part of a community event where the story is told with uniquely relevance for local context is invaluable in bringing people together and allowing the life of Christ to be seen and heard on the streets.
Immersive performances are a physical journey around familiar spaces in the local community and a dramatic experience of the Easter story.
Dramatic experiences can prompt authentic encounters with the people and events portrayed in a way that bypasses layers of religious and cultural traditions across different faiths.
Centuries of religious traditions and conflict can often obscure the core heart of the faith, the message, the people. The immersive embodied experience gives a unique focus for re-examining the Easter story as well as religious traditions and misunderstandings that accumulate around other faiths.
Our aim is to provide a space where people of all faiths or none can understand the Christian faith better and can ask questions about the central story of that faith.
Culture
The majority of Passion Plays are free so everyone can have a culturally-enriching experience. Also an opportunity for people to join the large cast/crew of volunteers and contribute their skills to large cultural event in their local community. Passion Plays are a place to invest their creativity and expertise whether in costume design, hospitality, music and singing or stage design. People who get involved report a life-changing experience as they grow in confidence and exchange skills.
Education
School students are often taught about Christianity in basic/piecemeals form and often only during religious festivals. A dramatic experience of the story gives much more. Passion Play actors who travel the country and bring workshops and assemblies to students report increased understanding and tolerance for faith. A dramatic experience of the story gives much more and can help students access literary allusions and symbolism as they beginning to read more widely in English literature which is full of biblical allusions.
Experiencing a Passion Play
The best way to understand the power of a Passion Play is to experience the Easter story for yourself. Since 2010, there have been over 100 Passion Plays in key locations across the UK, collectively drawing the largest outdoor audiences of free, live theatre in any given year.
Free Passion Plays are turning town and city centres into vibrant stages for powerful performances that give an unforgettable experience of the Easter story. They are unique ways to share the Christian gospel with their roots in the local community and a rich dramatic heritage that goes back to the medieval Mystery Plays.
You can find a free performance at Easter by visiting the Passion Plays website and there are plenty of images and videos of past Passion Plays that have taken place all over the UK.
